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Natural products for cleaning the whole house are popular. But according to a virologist, they are wrongly attributed a disinfecting power. A very popular product is particularly targeted.
Faced with products that are far too toxic, perhaps you have given in to the natural tendency to clean your home: baking soda, white vinegar, lemon juice… seem capable of doing everything to achieve a healthy home. This is not the opinion of Océane Sorel, doctor in Virology and Immunology (better known under the name @thefrenchvirologist).
No, white vinegar does not disinfect
And the greatest disillusionment undoubtedly surrounds the all-category champion of natural cleaning: white vinegar, which is used to disinfect everything. This is incorrect, recalls the expert who adds that it has never been a reliable disinfectant:
“White vinegar, baking soda… their ability to fight microbes is very limited, and depends on several factors such as temperature, concentration of the product, type of microbe (they are not effective against all!) and time of contact. Although they may provide a slight antimicrobial effect under certain conditions, they do not guarantee complete and consistent disinfection.”
In short, the antimicrobial action of white vinegar exists, but it remains weak and above all, it will not “instantly kill the micro-organisms on which it could potentially have an action”.
Without white vinegar, how to disinfect your home? In the newsletter associated with her post, however, the virologist takes stock: disinfection does not replace good cleaning.
“It should be used only when necessary and in addition, on surfaces that are already clean.”
There is therefore no point in wanting to “disinfect” your kitchen or bathroom every day. ”Excessive use could even encourage antibiotic resistance” explains the expert.
On the other hand, to date only more “toxic” products provide real disinfection such as bleach, household alcohol and certain commercial products which contain these ingredients. Use sparingly, when you really need disinfection.
And to know which product to adopt, the expert provides an infographic that highlights the important elements.
